Fate Intervened
by sepiarainbows
Summary: Axel may have won an amnesia affected Sora for the organization, but DiZ is not so easily deterred. His plans to use Roxas, Goofy, and Donald to bring Sora back to his side are already in order. DiZ is eager to exact his revenge. Yaoi AxelSora
1. Flight of the Hero

**Chapter One: Flight of the Hero **

* * *

Disclaimer: The characters in use belong to Squeenix. I don't own

them, and the situations are of my own design. This is rated M for

mature, and will contain yaoi (male & male relations).

* * *

"Namine, I am surprised you have remained in the castle this long. Doesn't it strike you as dangerous? It's nearly irresponsible of you to be keeping Sora there. I think the time has come for both of you to join me in Twilight Town. There, we can guard him in secret and I can help you restore his memory more effectively." DiZ's visage hovered in a dark corner of Namine's former prison; it bobbed up and down in her drawing room. 

"Yes, you're probably right. How will we move him there?"

"We'll have to use the corridors. Tonight. I have some loose ends to tie up, and I'll arrive at exactly 8:30."

"That sounds fine."

"Namine! If any dark corridor appears before my planned arrival, know that it is not me, and that you must defend Sora."

"But-"

"Come now. You manipulate the castle. Its design is practically of your creation now that Marluxia is dead."

Namine paused looking distraught. "Yes, okay. I will keep Sora safe until you come for us."

"You must be vigilant, but there is no current evidence that Organization XIII will be investigating the castle today. Still, do not count on their lethargy or single-mindedness. I'm sure that soon enough they'll be wondering what went wrong here, and what can be salvaged. They'll want to keep you."

DiZ disappeared, and Namine sat very still. She looked at the hazy figure inside the budding flower. "You'll be okay Sora." A blue-white silken sheet draped over the giant figurine, and folded down around the floor. "Ahaha, that's just ridiculous," lashed out a ghost's memory of Larxene. "Just because we're not _special nobodies __like you, Namine, _doesn't mean we don't have the same capacity for thought. What are you good for now?"

Her cruel laughter made Namine nauseous. She looked away from the covered bird cage, and out the window to a world locked in between. It was like living in a castle floating in outer space. She was alone. "It's not a cage. I'm putting everything back the way it should be. I'm good... a-and I'm not alone." Her meek monologue was suffocated by drawings, drapery, and her solitude. She paused in thought. "But I'm not alone!" She peered over at the hill of a sheet.

She crept over to her poorly disguised hero, and took a peak underneath. He was frozen in ice. But he was happy, but he was also happy being used. "I'm not using you anymore. I'm fixing everything I did wrong" He smiled at her. "I mean it." He smiled at her. "You have to believe me," she said looking more despairing than ever. He smiled still.

She pulled the sheet back over him, and dimmed the lights. "I guess I have work to do. Why wouldn't they come as soon as they could?" She set down a pair of binoculars in the room, and tied her sight to it. If she kept her left eye closed, she saw normally. If she kept her right eye closed, she saw Sora in safety.

If she opened both, she would feel dizzy. This would suffice. She walked quickly down the hallway from her room, and intended to make as many confusing changes within the castle as she could. She would start by erasing the front door.

Back in Sora's room, a soft orange light ate away the sterile and antiseptic blue-white glow of Sora's chamber. Axel quietly strode across the room, and turned the binoculars a quarter inch to the right. "Nice bluff Namine. What could you really do to stop me anyway? Call DiZ? Well he's awfully busy right now."

Axel lifted back the sheet, staring in at Sora. Charismatic as he was, the organization was acting pretty cooly around him. Xemnas was pleased, but he was always tepid. Demyx was easy-going and could still imitate _friendliness _pretty adequately, but Axel wasn't looking for those charades. "Someone who can feel. I wonder what that's like?" But he did not wonder so much.

The chakram that often burned him felt different. They felt good. They felt-

Pale ashes slipped down around Axel cloak. Dim light poured through the holes expanding over Axel's head, and smoke curled up from the sheet.

"Time to retrieve you." Axel smashed through the crystal. Pieces of it nicked Sora's face and arms, but he could not wake up. Axel stooped down to lift Sora from the smashed ruin. Sora's proximity made every spasm of muscle and electrical impulse from his brain feel.. worthwhile. Everything was reasonable again. Again? Had it been once before? The sheet crumpled oddly around the robbed chrysalis.

The castle was a demented maze, and the front of it was blank as a sheet of printing paper. Namine closed her right eye.

Axel paused. Everything was a coil being wound tightly. He was trembling slightly. Sora couldn't be heavy enough. He was like gold, a substance that he wanted more to hold and see. He wasn't a person anymore. He was a phenomena. The numbness and apathy that strangled the hole in his chest evaporated. He was paralyzed by it. His held tilted back, overwhelmed.

The room tilted maddeningly. Axel's quick reflexes met the west wall, which was now the floor. Namine burst through the door." Axel, what are you doing! I thought you wanted me to give him back his memories!"

Axel paused. A malevolent grin stretched his cheeks.

"I thought you wanted me to make him a real person again!"

This froze Axel. His nature retaliated. He would not relinquish his grip on Sora. If he could keep a hold, he himself could be real too. Or at least feel it.

"I wanted to fix my mistakes! I want to make amends for everything I did," Namine screamed.

"Yeah, you would." A dark corridor opened behind Axel's back. It summoned him.

Namine shook the room again. Axel slid to the floor on his side. Sora was seated safely in his arms, but his shoes bounced off the ground.

Axel laughed. "So _you're_ going to kill me."

Namine looked frightened and dangerous clutching her pencil and pad of paper. A chakram flew at her, which was deflected by a streak of purple that crossed its flight. It spun back to Axel who was still laughing. Both chakram's flew at her. There was a flash of green and a streak of red. The chakram flew back to him. Sora had slid down to rest on Axel's thigh. He was crumpled like a doll, but heavy with life.

Axel struggled as a curl of yellow and a blend of orange tried to knock him over.

Listen kid. I was always Marluxia's superior!" A wall of fire divided the room in half and slammed Namine into the farther wall. She slumped over. Her pad of paper came to rest in a far corner.

Axel lifted up Sora into an awkward hug. His legs dragged on the ground, forming a v pointing at Axel's abdomen. A corridor opened up beneath Axel, and the two disappeared.

Much later, another cooridor appeared. DiZ stepped through, and caught sight of Namine on the floor. "Damned villains!"


	2. All Things Set In Motion

* * *

**Chapter 2: All Things Set In Motion  
**

* * *

** Disclaimer**: same as last chapter's really. I own nothing blah blah yaoi blah ect.. Donald and Goofy belong to Disney.  
**Author's Notes**: Last chapter was really just an introductory chapter. (first chapters usually are) As more elements are introduced to the story, the chapters will get longer, so no worries right? _Right?_

* * *

The corridor swirled ominously within Axel's room. It was not a very personal space as it was rarely even  
used. It could have been anyone's room. This normally wouldn't have bothered Axel, but with Sora still pressed against his hollowed chest, it scared him. "This could be anyone's room." 

Sora moved slightly. Axel was counting on all of Namine's premature work to have left him mostly a blank  
page. Then he could have a close companion within the organization again. Again, as it had been before."DiZ is probably the complete bane of my existence." Axel shrugged and gently poured Sora onto his bed, and left the room.

Sora's dreams crackled with warmth. In his delirium he felt like he was trapped in a fog of dream, and he wasn't  
ready to dare surfacing through the layers of consciousness. He relished the dream. It was not a dream of events or people. It had no place, time, or space. He just was, and it was good.

Demyx meekly crept down the hallway towards the confident stride of Axel. "So. Er. Axel. Are you ready to  
tell us what happened in the castle?"

Axel raised his eyebrow. He could feel a more sinister superior behind the question. "I've already told Xemnas everything  
there was to tell. If he didn't pass the information down to the rest of you, then he doesn't feel you need to know."Demyx shrank back. "I just.."

"You know, I thought this power struggle might have dissipated considering all of the inquisitive little philosophers are out of the picture now." He was of course referring to the demise of Zexion, and more importantly, Vexen. "Marluxia was a victim of arrogance, and probably irony. Xemnas would have killed him had he survived Sora. He had it coming. And Vexen would have been begrudging enough to reveal Roxas to Sora. They both failed the organization. That is why they are both dead. Larxene showed where she stood, and her betrayal killed her, not to mention her overconfidence." Demyx forced courage. "And what about Zexion and Lexaeus?"

"They got wound up in Vexen's plans. What Vexen may have attempted was noble, but it did not come to fruition. He  
screwed up, and Zexion and Lexaeus are victims of that. All five of them tried to harness powers, and manipulate people they could not keep a handle on. The plan was a mistake to begin with."

"It's just.. the others think it's a little suspicious that you survived. What were _your_ plans, Axel?"

Axel chuckled darkly. "C'mere. It should all be clear."

He lead Demyx to his bedroom. "Erm..?" Demyx looked a little scandalized.

Axel coughed disapprovingly, and opened the door.

Demyx gawked. "Holy shit! Axel, you brought the kid that wasted Marluxia _HERE?!"_

"At Xemnas' orders. We cooked this all up together. He's our weapon now. The weapon Marluxia's wasn't bright enough to  
tame."

"D-did.. Namine scramble his brains? He doesn't remember you, or the others?"

"No, unlike Marluxia, Xemnas wouldn't take a chance like that. That's why Xemnas is successful, and traitors fail."

Demyx smirked, still staring at Sora. "Yeah, you're right. There's a reason he's our leader. Hey-" Axel grabbed Demyx's hand.

"You want to remember what it feels like?"

Demyx was suddenly difficult to read. His face was plain and heavy with understanding. "Yeah, I would."

Axel lead Demyx solemnly over to where Sora lay. Sora was still swimming in irrational dreams of comfort.

His mind was soft from the process of remembering, and it was softer from forgetting. Axel urged Demyx to lift Sora up off of the bed. Demyx lifted him up under his arms, and then he froze. He was barraged by sensations he had forgotten. His fingers were electrified. He dropped Sora. Sora made a faint sound in his throat, disturbed. "I.. I've forgotten what exactly we've been fighting for. I've forgotten.. a lot I guess. It just makes me want to finish our mission quicker.He's.. what is he? How can he do that? It's like I've adopted his heart." The feelings all faded.

"He's remarkable, that's what he is."

Demyx nodded rapidly, leaving the room in shock. He was apparently satisfied with Axel's explanations. Axel wondered how much he would really report back to the others. He probably would leave out the latter experiences.

"Hopefully he'll convince them not to bother me." Axel stared dreamily at Sora. The lines that folded around his eyes vanished, and it was like trying to see. Axel was trying to see as he hadn't before. His vision was impeded by his face. It was always trying to disguise his functionality with character. It was always squinting, or raising an eyebrow, or drawing tighter in a malicious leer. Smirking, grinning, and once despairing. Now it was doing none of that. "Since being what I am, I have only ever felt twice. You make this the second time."

Sora stirred.

"Uh..um." Axel watched nervously as his sleeping treasure came to life.

He began the bittersweet action of putting the organization's plans in motion. "Sora, thank god you're awake!"

"Huhermmm.. wuzz.. where am?" Sora's eyes opened as dreamily as Axel's had watched him. "Don't worry. We're  
back. I'm okay, too. It was just you. You.."

Sora's body became rigid with reality. "Kairi! Riku! What happened to my home?!" Axel had taken Sora by the shoulders.

Sora's power made Axel's job even easier. He could feel real emotions returning to him. "Sora.. you don't remember anything do you? We rescued you from your island. We were helping you find your friends. You were fighting the heartless with us.." This hardly calmed Sora down, but the man before him looked friendly.. in a wild way. "The island was destroyed wasn't it."

Axel nodded gravely. At least that one wasn't a lie.

"And.. those things that attacked me.. they were-"

"Heartless. Those who lack hearts. They live to steal the hearts of all living things, and the hearts of worlds."

"You rescued me?" Sora found comfort in thinking someone had cared enough about him to rescue him.

"Yes. You were helping our organizations destroy all heartless, and return the hearts of all worlds, including your island.  
You were also helping us recover our hearts."

This was all so overwhelming. His circuitry was clogged with questions desperate to all be asked at the same time. They recited themselves in his head, and Sora clamped his hands over his ears. Axel was suddenly worried. Sora had to prioritize the questions he would ask. "I was helping you restore your hearts... were your hearts stolen?"

Axel nodded. His worry subsided discreetly. "When your heart is stolen.. you are reborn as a new being.. half of a person. We need our hearts to become whole again."

Sora thought that sounded like something he would gladly help accomplish. "But.. so you were helping me find Kairi and  
Riku?"

Axel nodded again. "We found Riku, but he's become an ally to the heartless. His heart is tainted, but not missing. And we  
think that he is hiding Kairi somewhere in the worlds controlled by heartless."

Sora felt sick. Axel felt sympathetic. He bundled Sora up in his arms. Sora trustingly let Axel support him. Sora had friends it  
seemed. Even if he could not remember them. This man was nice to him at least.

Axel knew this was one of the first steps in establishing a bond like he had formed with.. the other half of Sora. Sora was so incredibly trusting. Had this been how Marluxia, Larxene, and especially Namine had nearly won the right to use him? Axel didn't for a moment compare himself to those fools. Still, he was mystified by the fact that Xemnas had told him the exact time at which to interfere with the memory pod. He was astonished that it could be a coincidence. Sora had recovered all of his life before ending up in Traverse Town, but nothing afterwards. He was a blank book. He was a desperate boy.

Axel was muscular and slender. Sora's head rested comfortably on Axel's abdomen. Sora sprang up embarrassed.

Axel knew not to push it. "Do you remember anything else? Any other questions you'd like to ask me?"

Sora face relaxed in a feeling of relief. This was a question that had been washing through his brain."Yeah.. it's a question I've wanted to ask you since I woke up... well.. almost since I woke up." Sora held up a sacred weapon. "What's this?"

In the meantime. Namine was just recently revived. "Namine, Namine! You must tell me who has done this."

Namine's eyes fluttered open, and her breathing was heavy. "I... it was Axel. He.. I tried to stop him. I thought that I was good  
enough to stop him. The sketchbook was knocked out of my hands.. and I tried to turn the room upside down, but he..set me on fire?" Namine struggled against her pains to recall what she could. "He got him."

DiZ scowled menacingly. "Damn him. I will not let him ruin my plans. I will not let those fiends manipulate the hero." DiZ paused. "Where are you keeping Donald and Goofy?" Namine pointed weakly towards a door beneath her bedding. DiZ slid the bed aside, and opened the door in the floor. "Let's move them to safety. They can help us in our search for Sora.I think I'm close to knowing where they are hiding. Riku has been a great help to me. Hopefully this means they will not continue in pursuing Roxas." DiZ went to work in transporting the three of them to safety in his manor.

Namine was ashamed, and her brain was buzzing with a need to figure out how she could help in rescuing Sora.

* * *

(**Author's notes**: There you have it. Another somewhat introductory chapter. The story will from here out become a much more Axel Sora based story.. it just needed a realistic entrance. Also, I know these chapters are short.. but it felt unnatural to pack much more into them. Oh.. and um.. reviews make for inspired writers. WINKWINKWINKWINKWINKWINKWINKWINK..) 


	3. The Manipulator and His Good Friend

**Chapter Three: The Manipulator and His Good Friend, The Manipulator**

* * *

** Disclaimer**: Same as the disclaimer on the first chapter.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: Well.. I_ said _they would get longer, _andtheywill_! It's just.. I don't even know. bewilderment In this chapter more sexual tension is built up in order to reach the inevitable.. well.. y-o-u k-n-o-w. I'm aware imparticular isn't a real word.. but god.. it just fits.

* * *

Axel was wrong in his assumptions that Demyx would keep the other members at bay. He wasn't  
entirely wrong, but he was not entirely correct either. Saix imparticular was livid with the lack of  
his inclusion. He was, after all, second in command to Xemnas. As Axel gingerly closed the door to  
his room so as to not disturb Sora's recooperative sleep, Saix strode right up to him. 

"Who do you think you are keeping me out of all of this," he hissed.

"I've told Demyx everything you could possibly need to know." Axel smirked.

"What are you accusing me of. No. Wait. That is not at all important. I deserve to know  
exactly what happened in castle oblivion."

"Maybe you do, but the disclosure of that information is solely up to Xemnas."

Saix sneered. "The superior has been distraught lately. I'm sure this has prevented him  
from telling me everything himself."

Axel's eyebrow raised amusedly. He loved this advantage. "Oh, is that so? When I reported to him that we had captured Sora, he seemed exalted.. or at least that was the best impression of happy  
I've ever seen. Well, maybe in your seniority you've seen a better one. I can't really know myself." He just had to remind Saix that Xemnas could not truly _be_ distraught. He just had to push all of his buttons simultaneously. That was Axel

Hell's fire brewed in Saix's head. His soul seethed. And yet.. the little bit of information Axel had  
slipped him subdued this somewhat. Through clenched teeth he strained to ask, "The. Keyblade.  
Master. Is. Here?!"

Axel pointed to his bedroom door. "Yeah. If you're confused about this, you should probably go for a walk and, um.. mull it all over." Axel held that newfound trust with the superior high over Saix's head.

Saix gave him a toxic look, and staggered off.

Demyx just slipped by him towards Axel. He looked nervous. "Sorry. Guess I couldn't satiate his curiosity."

"He just needs to get the stick out of his ass. I don't think I've ever seen him so disapproving." Axel laughed.

"So.. how's he doing?"

"He's doing great. He's recovered nicely." Then, Axel added in a barely audible whisper, "And he trusts me, and  
everything I've told him."

Demyx looked calmer. "Well, I'm glad everything has gone to plan. It looks like all of our ambitions will be fulfilled pretty soon." There was a small pause where Demyx might have expected Axel to tell him something confidential out of a somewhat cordial friendship. The window of opportunity came and went. Demyx turned, and walked away.

As soon as he was about out of earshot Axel added, "Yeah, just about all of our ambitions."

Meanwhile, just on the other side of that same door, Sora had woken up. He had gathered the courage to explore his surroundings. He had come across a pile of Axel's clothes. They had a faint masculine scent. It was something  
he couldn't identify. He thought they smelled nice though. The room was plain enough to be a hotel room. There  
was nothing personal about it. So, Axel was half of a person. What was that like for him? What routines did he  
have to maintain like a normal person. In what ways was he abnormal. Sora could have easily just mistaken him for  
another human being. But Axel had clearly stated he was not a full person. He had no heart. "Like a vampire." Sora  
corrected this thought. Didn't vampires just have a dead heart? Axel had no heart. "I must have forgotten a lot." If Axel had no heart, didn't that make him a heartless? Clearly not.. but still.. what was a heartless. Those without hearts? He sighed heavily.

"This world has been connected." He remembered that. Who was that?

"Sora.." Kairi slipped past him.

Riku offered him his hand. Escape.

"Escape from what, Riku? It's your fault. The universe granted you your wish. It killed Destiny Island."

Sora remembered the little monsters that swarmed over their playground. He remembered how the key had come to him.  
The key rescued him. He swung it like his wooden sword and it collided with the black.. heartless, was it? They vanished.

Riku offered him his hand.. and then everything went away. But, Axel said that Sora could help them restore the hearts of  
all worlds. Did this include his home?

Sora peered out of a window at a spectacular heart-shaped moon.

"It's a heart!"

A kingdom.

"What?"

Kingdom Hearts..

"I.. don't understand."

Kingdom Hearts.

"I.."

The door slid open. "Oh.. um.. Sora! You're up."

Sora whirled around to see Axel standing in the doorway. Sora smiled. "Yeah. I'm feeling great now."

Axel smiled too. "That's good. I knew you would recover quickly."

"Did you say we were fighting something when my memories were erased."

Axel appeared troubled. "Yes. I didn't think anything like that had actually happened to you, but Xemnas did."

"Xemnas?"

"Oh.. he's our leader Sora. The leader of our group. There's just.. so much I take for granted. I forget that, well.. you've  
forgotten everything. Hopefully you'll be back into the rhythm of things soon enough." Axel walked into the room and  
sat on the bed.

"You're leader, huh?"

"Yeah."

He could feel the edge of the protective shell of Sora's heart. Its aura was like the light of a lantern, drawing all things in towards it.  
It illuminated the properties of the heart within its protective light. He was so much like Roxas. Sora's throbbing  
heartbeat sent waves of realization lapping at his skin.

Axel himself knew that nobodies had no feelings. They lacked morality and consciousness. They were all-consumed  
by their need to be whole again. He hadn't been bothered by this before. But now he had a human version  
of himself to compare to. It gave him a different perspective. Any emotions he had felt since Roxas had left  
were acts. How had he ever gotten so used to it. When you've lost something you never knew you had.. maybe  
it doesn't feel like it was ever lost. Axel was the only member who tried to remain aware of this disability. The others  
seemed to want to pretend as though they were capable of feelings. It was a self-deluding charade. He was the one  
who constantly reminded them of that. "For someone without feelings, you do an excellent impression of a smug  
jerk, Zexion." He had always said thing like that. Making that distinction irritated them, but he enjoyed that.. or at  
least.. he pretended to enjoy it.

But with Sora around, all feeling was genuine. It was as though he had a heart. But he did not.

"Tomorrow, Sora."

"Hm?"

"Tomorrow I'll take you on your.. well.. the first mission you'll remember. We'll make it easy. Test out your natural  
abilities. I'm sure those have stayed somewhat intact. Don't worry. Xemnas thinks you'll bounce right back."

"Xemnas must know an awful lot then." Sora grinned. He loved talking to Axel. Learning from him felt like a privelage.

"He does."

"Does he know a way to help me find Kairi and Riku?"

"We wouldn't have joined up together if he hadn't offered. He's really doing everything in his power to help you,  
but only because you've helped us so much."

Half of that was a lie. Half was truth.

Sora felt so comfortable, and was scared to move. He was scared that even breathing to much, the movement of his chest up and down, would melt away this snowflake of a moment. His skin prickled gently. What a weird feeling. Yet it was so gratifying. It reminded him of playing with Kairi, and even playing with that show-off jerk, Riku. Wakka.  
Tidus. Selphie.

Axel made him feel the way Destiny Islands made him feel. Was that it?

Axel grew slightly uncomfortable with Sora's silence. "Soooo.. hungry Sora?"

"Actually.. yeah, I guess I am. I have no idea when it was that I ate last!"

"It's been a while."

It felt wrong to have to leave Sora. He didn't even want to leave the room. Luckily, when he opened the door, a  
stunned Demyx stumbled backwards.

"Oh, eavesdropping were we? Great. Well, you heard our keyblade hero's hungry then. Could you be a friend  
and fetch him some food? Huh?"

"Y-yessir. Um.. of course, Axel. H-hi Sora!" Demyx sprinted away. Sora tried to wave, but was a little too late.

Axel through his cloak aside, and crumpled into his bed. Exhaustion sunk him like a stone. "MmmmSora.. I'm just gonna take a quick nap. You know.. it's been.. an excruciating day." Sora nodded in quiet understanding. Axel's figure was stunning. Sora wanted to feel the width of his abdomen.  
He wondered how that would feel. Thick and warm probably. His eyes scaled up and down the vertically positioned  
Axel. In no time at all Axel's brain had evaporated in a light sleep. Sora's attention was drawn suddenly to his sharp  
jawline. He reminded Sora of a lion asleep. It had a normally feral appearance that transformed itself when its  
owner slept. Suddenly what was dangerous was undeniably attractive.

Sora crept up to Axel's sleeping figure. He hadn't ever reacted this way to someone. He was so naive. He thoughta quick touch would satisfy his curiosity. He traced one finger gently down Axel's jawline. It was the epitome of masculinity.. at least.. his jawline was. The rest of him was an exciting mystery. He was unparalelled by any other person Sora had known. Had Axel been awake he would have reminded Sora that he's not exactly a person.

Sora's fingers scissored around Axel's delicate chin. If Sora had understood all of this he might have thought that his feelings of love for Kairi seemed.. almost platonic in comparison with this. But he still hadn't put his finger on the feelings that compelled him to-

Someone knocked on the door. Sora's hand snapped back.

Demyx's voice wormed through the doorway all muffled. "I brought food!"

"Err.. Come in?" He felt strange inviting someone into a bedroom that was not his.

Axel, who was not so deeply asleep, was busily committing those small touches to memory.

Got it memorized, Axel?

* * *

**Additional Author's Notes**: You must feel like this is going nowhere fast. Patience.. it is unfolding slowly.. and I'm sort of trying to cultivate this little plot of mine in a semi-realistic way. I mean.. I pretty much SEVERELY altered the original plot. Hope you enjoy.

* * *


	4. How Sensational!

* * *

**Chapter Four: How Sensational!**

* * *

** Disclaimer**: same as chapter one and three. Square-enix owns these characters. I've produced the events myself  
**Author's Notes/Regarding Reviewers**: Thank you for your reviews! I'm glad you're happy with the story thus far. It's getting a bit trickier to predict where my story is going, but I have an ending in mind. Also: favorites and alerts (especially favorites) are flattering, but reviews are a bit less ambiguous. I like reading personal reviews. Favorites are still good, it's just it feels more IMPLIED that you like my story rather than just.. you know.. inflating my ego with words. That's more direct. Yeah so. Um.. please enjoy reading.

* * *

After Axel had actually slept for an hour or so, and Sora had eaten, Axel began to show him around  
Organization 13's headquarters. Saix acted stiffly, but respectfully towards Sora. Demyx had talked  
to Sora some during his meal, so he was already acquainted. Luxord played along with the illusion  
smoothly. "Hello Sora. Good that you've recovered." Xigbar stopped them soon afterward. "Xaldin, Saix, and me  
are going to investigate Castle Oblivion. See if anything useful can be salvaged. We want to see if that girl has been  
foolish enought to remain there." 

Axel's gut clenched. Namine. Castle Oblivion. Not things he wanted mentioned around Sora's delicate ears.

Sora himself felt strange, but it was such a minute twinge of familiarity that he thought nothing of it.

Axel wanted to casually mention that he didn't think Namine would be there, but evoking the name of DiZ could  
certainly make things a little more difficult to control around Sora. Demyx slipped by at the most opportune moment.  
"Hey Demyx! Show Sora to the kitchen eh? I know you're particularly familiar with it."

Demyx's face flushed, but he nodded. "C'mon Sora." Sora followed him innocently. He did sort of regret not  
staying with Axel to see what they were talking about. He couldn't wait to be back in stride with things. He  
wanted to be as helpful as possible.

"Well I don't think Namine would still be there. I'm sure DiZ has already rescued her."

"And his two friends?"

"Definitely. That could be a problem later on. Look, um.. I mean no disrespect.. but we have to be careful about  
what we say around Sora, okay? We don't want to trigger any memories until things like that won't even matter. I mean..  
we're only so far into trust building, right?"

"And yet he seems very obedient. Xemnas must have given you a real story to sell him."

"You could say that." Axel smiled wearily.

"Well, no worries. I think Saix has calmed down somewhat." He neglected to mention Xaldin's displeasure. The  
senior members were a touchy group, but not Xigbar. "I guess Marluxia didn't show the right sort of promise  
I had seen in him."

"I don't think anyone blames you."

Xaldin spoke from down the hall. "Xigbar, we're leaving now."

"All right then." They turned and stepped through a dark corridor. It vanished. Where was Saix?

Demyx ushered Sora out of the kitchen. He had been watching out of the window in the flapping doors discreetly.Sora walked out happily touching an ice cream cone to his tongue.Axel saw the cream smeared all around his mouth. The contrasting pinkness of his tongue. Axel thought terrible thoughts.

Demyx began busily preparing food. He was the only one assigned to the kitchen. Since Zexion had died, he was  
the main cook.

As Axel steered him around the halls, and pointed out everyone's rooms, the dining hall, rooms for business, and rooms that  
belonged exclusively to Xemnas, his mind began frantically playing one thought over and over.  
Sora and Axel were practically all alone. Axel walked Sora back to his room. Soon enough he could move Sora into the vacant room,  
but he didn't want to let go of Sora just yet. He wanted all of the advantages to belong to himself. "I'll be right back Sora. Here."  
Axel tossed a matching cloak over to him. It was a perfect fit. "That's amazing. It was just an extra." More lies.

"There are extras?"

"Always.. for new recruits!" Axel grinned, and shut the door behind him.  
Sora studied it. It was a perfect fit. Strange.

Axel sprinted down into Vexen's old lab. It hadn't seen much use lately. Perhaps the only other person who would adopt it was Zexion, but he was dead too. Axel frequently raided the lab. Curious little concoctions lied dormant in wait for some person  
to use them. Mind Control. Mind Control. Where? There!

"Here!" Axel was gleeful. It was a sexual stimulant. Vexen had been weird enough to create a sexual stimulant. "What a  
calloused bastard." He knew it wasn't for Vexen's personal use. Axel shuddered. "He would create anything to control  
someone else." Still.. he was somewhat amazed that he had bothered creating a sexual stimulant. It had been a wild guess  
This is what he needed. First he would just put it through a little trial.

Sora was listless. He rolled around on Axel's bed. He was eager for his first mission. No, this wasn't his first mission.. it was  
just the first mission he would remember. He wanted to prove himself badly. Also, questions about the safety of his friends  
riddled his brain. He felt wrong just sitting here. And yet he had been lucky enough to find an organization of people  
dedicated to helping him, and helping everyone. It was spectacular.. it was-

"Hey Sora!" Axel slipped inside with a steaming mug of.. "I thought you might like some hot tea."

Sora hadn't really felt like he wanted anything, but he excepted it politely. "Thanks.. Axel. You've been really nice to me.  
I must be sort of a pain in the ass.. having forgotten.. everything." Sora took a few gulps. It stung his throat, and he  
coughed and sputtered. "I'm fine!" He continued coughing, but only for a few seconds afterwards.

Axel wanted to offer his help, but he felt like he couldn't do anything really. And besides, he knew why Sora was really  
coughing. Something twinkled in Axel's eyes. "Well. Uh. Sorry that I can't entertain you, but I need to take a shower."  
Sora nodded understandingly.

Axel loved this. Sora always nodded politely in understanding, even when he didn't really _understand._ Sora's vulnerability fueled Axel.

He walked across the room, and opened a door Sora thought had perhaps lead to a walking closet. It  
was instead a large bathroom. Axel shut the door behind him, and left Sora alone once again to ponder his  
predicament.

Kairi? Riku? Are you still okay? Sora heard the water turn on, and start to hiss against the floor of the shower.  
My island.. can it be saved. Really. He drained the mug, gulping down the last of the tea. It didn't taste bad.. just  
different. Maybe is was flavored with something exotic?

He looked outside at the heart-shaped moon.

"It's a heart."

It's a kingdom.

"You said that last time, what does it mean?"

Kingdom Hearts.

"Kingdom Hearts?"

Kingdom Hearts.

Sora could still hear the shower water hissing. It was peculiarly magnified. Axel's skin rolled  
underneath sheets of water. His hair was a curtain down his back. It hid half of his face. The steam  
rolled under the door. Sora could see it all. His chest, the pectorals curved smoothly down to his  
abdomen, and his pelvic bones made an arrow to-

Sora blushed furiously. What could he do about how he felt? What could he do? He would hate to do something  
unwise. Axel would hate for Sora to do something wise. He eyed the door. Come to think of it, Sora had never heard the lock latch.  
Sora removed the cloak, and his socks and shoes. His crown necklace flung to the floor. His belt left him. His jacket crumpled to the floor.

What was he planning? He did not know himself. The chemicals continued to pop and crackle like fireworks in him. Axel's thighs, his calves, his ankles.. his ass. How could Sora even imagine what they looked like.He had no idea. But he was slowly turning the handle.

Axel showered casually, wondering how the stimulant was affecting Sora. His mind pulled Sora inexorably towards him.  
Sora had hampered his breathing subconsciously. He was trying to be as silent as possible. He had to open his breath to  
take deep gulps of warm moist air. His body tingled with.. what? What was it pulling him around for? Sora did not realize  
that an unvoiced portion of his brain was _telling _his body to pull him closer and closer to what he really wanted.  
A woody scent flooded Sora's nose. His body pulled more...  
Sora was scared suddenly. His cautious sub-nature was flooding his limbs. He couldn't walk forward. The stimulant attacked.

Sora's leg crept forward.

Axel hummed in the shower. He felt strange. He felt.. well.. feeling was strange. Axel did not stop to think that Sora might be close.  
Not yet at least. He doubted Sora had given the stimulant enough time. Axel, whom had felt nothing but selfish desire, almost felt  
remorseful for slipping that in Sora's tea. Wasn't he manipulating him enough. Why was he feeling so many things?

The sound of Axel's humming melted away all caution. Sora fluidly drew up to the curtain. He could see Axel's silhouette.  
What was going on? Sora was.. fully aroused. Sora was confused and excited as he drew the curtain back.

Axel continued showering, facing the other direction. The draft was what would alert him. Sora was meanwhile entranced.  
The flawlessness of Axel's body hypnotized him. He needed to get closer. Curtains of water. Clouds of steam. The golden center.  
The fire..maturity and youth in harmony.

Simultaneously Saix, Xigbar, and Xaldin were sweeping through Castle Oblivion. "There's really nothing here. I'm sure in time  
it could serve a new purpose, but right now it would just be a distraction to maintain," Xigbar said rather matter-of-factly. Saix  
appeared completely indifferent. "It seems what Axel told you was correct. DiZ has taken Namine and Sora's companions."

"Yeah. The disgruntled old fraud is actually plotting against us. He should have just gone off and died." Xigbar knew Ansem the Wise much better than Saix, who remained characteristically indifferent to his last comment.

Xaldin remained very quiet. "I don't like our inclusion of Sora. At least.. I wouldn't trust that operation to Axel. We know  
why he was eager to play the biggest part in the assignment."

Roxas.

"He shows such a lack of respect for the senior members. It's disgusting. Why would Xemnas trust him more than us?"

Xigbar answered wearily, "Careful, you're starting to sound like Vexen."

Saix seemed somewhat frozen in thought. "Really.. Axel needs to be the one to break Sora in. For some reason, and something  
I can only attribute to Sora's connection with Roxas, he trusts Axel so blindly."

The name infuriated Xalden. "Axel disobeyed my orders for Roxas' safety. I have not forgiven him for that lapse in judgment."

"It doesn't matter now, Xalden. Let it go. Grudges will not help us to become whole again. We all have the same goal in mind.  
As does Axel." Saix was slightly surprised to hear himself say that. He didn't really like Axel, but he could not deny his  
loyalty. "The events that took place in this very castle tell us that Axel has always been on our side. Always."

Xalden fumed...

Sora's eyes widened without his noticing. They drank in Axel. The scent that whirled in his nostrils pulled him, again, inexorably  
towards Axel. All of life's happiness and the solution to all great mysteries was just a stretch of the hand away. He reached.

Axel felt the a mild draft. He whipped around in full glory. In slow motion a spiral of droplets pirhouetted around him, as though he were shedding a mirror cocoon that ripped from his body in waves. It was insane. Too tempting. Axel was so graceful in any circumstance. At least.. Sora had felt that was true quite recently.

Sora pounced.

"SORA WHAT-"

Sora's legs tangled around one of Axel's, and his hands found the small in Axel's back. His cheek pressed smoothly into Axel's chest.  
The corner of his mouth nudged one of his nipples. His soaked shorts brushed up against Axel's sudden erection.

The combination of surprise and flooding of electric sensation caused him to explode.

Axel passed out.

* * *

**Author's Notes**! 


	5. Tipping the Equilibrium

* * *

**Chapter Five: Tipping the Equilibrium**

* * *

**Disclaimer**: The characters belong to Square-Enix and Disney. I've created the situations, but they are based off of a chronologically parallel story which belongs to the aforementioned creators. 

**Author's Notes**: I feel a little weird since I've already written five chapters in a seemingly long-runnings story, and yet I've only just crossed into the second day with this chapter, but rest assured.. we do cross over into the second day here.

**Regarding Reviews**: yeah yeah! Keep them coming. _I demand reviews openly._

* * *

DiZ stared impatiently into the crystal pods that were digesting Donald and Goofy. "They're nearly finished, aren't they?" 

Namine nodded plainly.

"Excellent. I think they'll want to retrieve Sora themselves. I'm just finishing up a direct route to Organization 13's headquarters. It's been distracted work, but I'm quite confident in its accuracy. I just hope that they will be willing to use the dark paths that connect all worlds. This world specifically lies in a plane between existence and non-existence. It's all very strange." His voice held an air of triumph.

Namine knew very little about their headquarters. She had not been kept there long. She was almost immediately moved to Castle Oblivion. She ached to be more useful, but DiZ seemed satisfied with his knowledge already.

"Where's Riku?" Namine had not seen him very much.

"He's helping me keep an eye on Roxas. Namine, you realize that in order to foil the organization, Roxas and Sora must be rejoined."

Namine nodded.

"Donald and Goofy should be able to help us with that necessity." He continued jabbing away at his keyboard. "By the way, Namine, try not to wander near the curtains too much. There's a ludicrous rumor spreading around Twilight Town that sometimes a blonde girl appears in the manor windows. Quite ridiculous considering that the manor has been vacant for some time now."

Namine smiled embarrassed, and glanced at Donald and Goofy.

93 percent completion.

Axel began surfacing through his delirium. Layers of sleep peeled off of him. Roxas. He had been with Roxas. It was wonderful. And then the dream ended. Axel blinked stupidly trying to piece something together. For one, he was naked in the shower. When had the water been shut off? Why was he lying down.. on.. on.. towels? He struggled to comprehend his situation while noticing  
that his skin was powder dry.

"I was taking a shower.. and.." Axel remembered turning around. "Sora!" He hadn't meant to shout that out loud.

The door squeaked open. "Um. Yes?" Sora looked nervous and ashamed. Axel had been unconscious for an hour and a half. Sora thought briefly that maybe he had killed him.

Axel stunned expression softened. He felt remorseful, but it quickly melted into affection. Axel wrapped a towel around his waist, and staggered out of the tub.

Sora looked a little frightened. What the hell had he been thinking? What? What? He felt insane. Uncontrollable. Stupid. _Axel was surely going to kick his ass._

Axel, who stood a handful of inches above Sora, tipped up Sora's downcast chin. It was the explosive duration between  
realization and kissing. Time was destroyed.

Axel's lips sank toward Sora's, but not all the way. They stopped within millimeters. His breath tugged at Sora's skin. Sheer magnetism would be the bridge between them. They were creatures designed to be connected. The biological strain could not be resisted. The electric impulses took the reigns.

Sora's mouth opened just barely, and then it connected with Axel's. The kiss was fervent. Their tongues sank into each others' mouthsalmost instantly. Both heads registered slightly to the right instinctively. Sora used the very minuscule bit of his brain not completely dedicated to his tongue and lips to move his hands up around Axel's sides. They smoothed the skin up and down. Axel's build was thick and warm. It was very real and very much like he thought it might feel. He was slender and strong, and Sora's hands rolled over his ribs. Axel didn't quite expect the sudden contact, and he trembled. Axel was secretly ticklish. Sora relished the tremors in Axel's torso. Their bodies exchanged such a heat. Flares licked at eachother's skin. Suddenly the kiss became more restrained, and their tongues receded. It was soft and dry. Axel was suffocating the kiss. Sora's tongue yielded out of embarrassment. Had he done something wrong?

Axel was the one to break it, panting. Sora hardly appeared lucid, and his eyes opened. He looked confused, and his body shook. Sora's eyes were pleading so badly. They were unrelenting, and Axel was drowning in them. They relinquished Sora's body. Here, take him. Take him. _Take him!_ Axel had to stop it all.

That's all he was willing to share just yet. He wanted to progress very slowly. It was almost his duty to do so. He couldn't affordto slap a relationship together that _might_ bind Sora to the organization. Hold on, what was his brain doing? He was slightly disgusted to be thinking about the motivations of the organization. Conscience was a bit of a burden. It had been a stupid move to put that stimulant in Sora's tea.

He hadn't meant for Sora to see him naked in the first day.

But why is that?

Because I want a meaningful relationship to blossom slowly?

Because I want to be a secure anchor to the organization for Sora?

No the first!

You're deluding yourself. It's clearly the second.

The first!

The second!

Sora bit his bottom lip. His ears burned, and his throat was parched. Oceans swelled in his eyes. Strange oceans that pulled, pulled, pulled at Axel.

"Let me show you to the room you'll be staying in tonight." Axel paused, wondering if he had phrased that correctly.

Sora's blinked stupidly. What had they just shared? He was so excited. What just happened?

"Uh! Well.. er.. the room you've been staying in."

Axel was a little too eager to put walls between Sora and himself. He nearly led Sora into the hallway in a loose towel. That would surely draw attention from any Organization member who happened to be passing by.Axel quickly slipped on his cloak without bothering to put on any clothes beneath it. If he wasn't careful, the cloak would peel back and reveal quite a length of his bare thighs. He guided Sora just across the hallway to the vacant bedroom. As Sora, bloated with happiness, clumsily made his way to his own bed, Axel felt another stab of remorse. This one was for having to leave Sora's side. Axel was so out of practice with emotions. Remorse came in different flavors? These feelings were so complex. They were so confusing.

"G'night Axel." Sora's voice chased after him, and it was vaguely mournful. Sora's comfort was ebbing away, but Sora held a hope it would return when he woke up.

Axel shut the door behind him, and headed back to his bed. Xaldin scowled at Axel, but the scowl remained unnoticed. The Castle Oblivion investigation had just closed. It was a simple, and somewhat mundane chore that they hadn't taken more than a handful of hours. Axel slipped into his bedroom, and immediately fell asleep.

"No one would miss me."

"That's not true.. I would."

After the dialogue ended, the all too frequent dream crashed. Axel was sent reeling into a state of awareness. It was very early in the morning he suspected. The atmosphere which the dream had been battling against wasted no time in superseding the fog of sleep. The room was cold. Axel hadn't felt cold in his dream; At least not in an external way. The cold permeated him. It stabbed at him.

Why was Roxas gone? What hadn't he found within the organization? Roxas could be a real person if he had just stayed.

"Why did the keyblade choose me?"

It didn't matter. Why didn't Roxas see that it didn't matter?

Once Sora had fallen asleep he dreamed of Axel. The dreams were vague and impossible. He wouldn't remember them once he woke up, but then the dreams changed.

This world has been connected.

This world has been connected.

It's a kingdom. Kingdom Hearts.

There will always be a door to the light.

Don't lose sight of it.

Sora jolted up-right. He woke in a cold sweat. The dim concepts that were reborn in his sleep had confused him. "What is Kingdom Hearts?" The right side of his brain failed to scoop up the ghosts of the past it had conjured. It pleaded with the left side of the brain. The left side simply shrugged. It was suffering a similar dilemma. It had quickly gone to work to decode the meanings of the poorly recovered memories, but the answers it had put together were fading as well. So most traces of the dreams, and the memories, faded. Sora's own disembodied voice rang clearly through the room.

"...without a doubt. Kingdom Hearts is light!"

Sora repeated as though he understood, "Kingdom hearts is light. That's what it is." As he digested this discovery it became worthless as time passed. That didn't make any sense. Kingdom Hearts was light? What was that supposed to mean? Maybe he could ask Axel. Sora squinted at the clock on the wall.

It claimed that the time was 4:38.

Sora's eyes widened with surprise. He had woke up far too early to expect a conversation with anyone, let alone Axel. Sora feared that he would forget in the morning, but couldn't find anything to write down his discovery. He agreed to just repeat it in his head until he fell asleep.

Kingdom Hearts is light Kingdom Hearts is light Kingdom Hearts is light KingdomHearts islight Kingdomheartsislight kingdomartslie ingdomrtslie...

It was very perceptive of him to fear forgetting all about it, and this is because he did forget. His body sank into a dreamless and restful sleep.

"Let me start by stating that I am aware of your wisdom. Still, I'm very confused that you are assigning Axel to deal with the keyblade master."

"Does that mean you mistrust my judgment."

"I have to be honest. It seems counter-intuitive. Of all the members..."

"Let me assure you that I have very good reasons for having Axel primarily interact with Sora."

A third voice squeaked out. "He trusts Axel a lot. I think it must have to do with being the other half of Roxas."

"Yes, the other half of Roxas. I think it would be better if everyone but Axel, and perhaps you since he's already talked to you

quite a bit, were around Sora minimally. We can reveal ourselves to him more once he's deeper in the organization."

"I- b-but.. What about Sora's two friends. And DiZ."

"What about them? We have the keyblade master. He doesn't remember anything about them. We'll have his sympathies, and as we've learned from watching him, nothing binds his heart like empathy. He won't remember anything about them, and he'll be fully devoted to our needs by the time they've arrived. He'll be a stranger to them."

There was a silent pause. It was an _uncomfortable _pause, and then three sets of shoes clacked down the hallway.

"Why haven't you come back to us Roxas? This is stupid of you. Why haven't you come back to me?"

Roxas smiled serenely. There was no guilt or realization.

"Why can't I make you understand?"

Roxas remained comfortably smiling. It was a smile that indicated Axel was not even present.

"Why.."

Suddenly the face changed, and so did the lighting. "I don't owe you any answers, Axel."

"Yes you do you sonofabitch!" Axel's heart was breaking. His body was made of ice. The blood seeped through andhis body crackled as it deteriorated. It was painful. It was horrific. He was dying.

Roxas laughed. "No worries, eh Axel. This is just a nightmare."

Axel fell out of bed. He stared wide-eyed at a clock that read 8:36. Everyone else was probably already up.

The sickening emotions paled almost instantly. Everything re-aligned within him. His emotional equilibrium always rested at natural indifference. This was one of the primary rules for non-existence. This was one of the keys to half-existence: no feelings, no conscience, no morals.. nothing. Except..hunger. There was always a hunger to be complete again. At least, that was how the _real _Axel worked. The real Axel?

"Dammit.. can't my subconscious give me a fucking break? Two nightmares in a row.." Axel slipped out of his room in his black night robe. It was just a robe with a very low collar and a zipper. This was usually not the case with robes. They usually were just loosely tied around a person with a sash. No zipper. Axel figured that everyone else would have had breakfast already. This was an interesting assignment. It was so unrestricted. He could wake up when comfortable, but his body was conditioned to wake up at a brisk 7:00. He was surprised he had managed to break that habit so soundly. Still, 8:30 seemed like an ideal time for him to go wake up Sora.

Axel nudged open Sora's door. Sora was peacefully asleep still, and his breathing was heavy. Heavy with life.

Axel's indifference melted away, and the equilibrium went awry as he drew over to Sora's bedside.

"Um. Sora. It's time to get up." His voice came out so soft. He hardly recognized himself. He had no experience in waking people up. He hoped he was doing it all right.

Sora's eyes opened drowzily. They were so blue. They were an impossible color. Axel's breath hitched. Roxas's eyes were an impossible color too. They shared the same eyes. They shared many things, but this was so prominent. Axel's core swooned with affection. Sora's face was radiant, gorgeous even.

"Mmm..g'morning." Sora tried to reach for the skin the robe bared. Sora had was so trusting. Axel tried to hide the rising tent way down in his robe.

Axel knee-jerk reaction was to stop Sora from getting up with his hand. It smashed awkwardly into Sora's face. He didn't know what he might be capable of doing if Sora.._touched him._

Sora's immediate thoughts were depressing. He had imagined what had happened yesterday.

But.. he wanted Axel so badly.

* * *

Billboard: YOU ARE NOW ENTERING DAY TWO. ABOUT FUCKING TIME, AMIRITE? 


	6. Both Sides Solidify

* * *

**Chapter Six: Both Sides Solidify**

* * *

**Disclaimer**: I don't own these characters. I didn't create them. I'm just manipulating them. Many of the elements belong to Disney and Square-Enix. Haven't you seen the disclaimer's from before???

**Author's Notes**: Alrighty.. soooo.. it took me a while to get chapter six up, but chapter six flowed rather smoothly. I just figured I should get it up as soon as possible and keep writing this story in stride. Hope you enjoy! I won't really comment on the story. I will be individually responding to all of my NINE reviews when I post chapter seven. So ifimreallyluckyimighthavemorethanninreviewsto respond to.

* * *

"What are you planning on having Axel and Sora do?" Xalden seemed especially indignant this morning.

"They will head out to Villains Vale, and revive Maleficent."

Xalden's insides squirmed. He was assigning a job for Sora that was previously Roxas'. It was as though Xemnas was brazenly playing on their similarities. "You don't need to remind me that Roxas walked out on us, but you do need to worry less about my judgement. It's become quite irritating."

"Of course sir. Sir, do we have any news about DiZ's plans."

Xemnas smirked dangerously. "It just so happens that we do. As you know, he's been very discreet of late, but this has all changed."

Xalden waited in suspense. "Oh?"

"For reasons I'm determining involves moving Roxas, DiZ is wrecking his virtual Twilight Town."

"Why would he? That's very strange.." Xalden fell silent in ignorance.

Xemnas lorded this knowledge over Xalden's head. "Oh, I don't think it is."

Late late late! Axel was never casual in the mornings. Being in the Organization required a sort of rigidity. Demyx was worried for Axel. Xalden would surely catch on to the changes in Axel, and try to convince Xemnas to abort the plan. How could Axel be so careless. He should be more professional. Demyx paused in thought. Really, who was Demyx kidding. He was the only one less professional then Axel, but still.. every member was professional to a degree. Sleeping in was not professional.

Yet, at the same time, Xemnas was being so lenient with Axel. It was bemusing. Demyx had a lot of time to puzzle about things in the morning. He had cooking duties until everyone had eaten breakfast. "That jerk is keeping me freaking starved so he can get in another couple of hours!" It was closer to 9:00 than 8:00. What was the time exactly? 8:47. Demyx had even bothered to make the breakfast somewhat celebratory. After all, this would be Sora's first meal with..with-- WAIT NO! Demyx couldn't afford to think like that. "Aw crap!! Waisted effort! Waisted effort all around." He briefly considered whether he should serve it. It was much brighter than their regular breakfasted, although not much tastier. That isn't to imply that Demyx's food wasn't delicious, but this meal was especially so.

He grinded his teeth in frustration. He was rarely ill-natured, but.. well.. he was never ill-natured. This was the closest he could get to being ill-natured, but it was still unusually bothered for him. On the other hand, when all you have are self-manufactured feelings.. how ill-natured could you become. This is something that Axel wished the other members focused on more. Demyx sympathized with it as well, if too a less emphatic degree: Organization XIII should want their emotions back as well as the power of hearts and whatnot.

"I'll kill him." Demyx eyed the crepes sitting under heat lamps warily. Did he dare? What if he was over thinking this? Sora didn't seem all that observant really. He would be too googley-eyed at Axel perhaps to even know what he was eating. No, that was too optimistic. Sora might notice. Would he really? Demyx could always just bullshit about how its in honor of Sora's recovery. Maybe-

"Hey, Demyx! C'mon now. We're starving, and we have to get a jump on Sora's first mission." Axel squirmed in realization of that statement.

"My first mission?" Sora looked vaguely confused.

"Well.. first post-recovery mission. It will basically be like starting over for you."

Sora smiled trustingly, "I understand then." Everything had been so reserved since Sora woke up. Maybe yesterday hadn't happened. It was part of the dream of his.. coma? Had he been in a mild coma. He looked over at Demyx who was peering in an annoyed manner out of the kitchen window into the dining hall.

"Hi Demyx! See, I haven't forgotten who you are!" Sora excitedly knocked on his head. This was to indicate that his head wasn't totally jumbled.

Axel gave Sora weird look of confusion.

Demyx's irritation melted into blank confusion. "Uh.. good. I guess that means you didn't relapse?" Demyx really didn't understand what Sora was thinking, but neither did Axel. Demyx gave Axel a quick shrug that Sora didn't catch. Axel and Demyx could be pretty smooth if they needed to be.

"Relapse? So.. so.. yesterday happened?!" Sora was gleeful. Axel smiled. He was such a good lover that his companion thought he was a sexy dream. This certainly improved Axel's confidence.

Demyx looked surprised in a wide-eyed way. "Erm. Yeah. Yesterday happened. It sort of always happens."

Sora nodded happily.

Demyx held a look of exhaustion. What a weird little guy, although weird in a cute naive way.

"C'mon Demyx, we need foooooooood!" Axel flashed a wolfish grin. It was so smug and mischievous.

"Screw you, man. You can't just show up to breakfast an hour and a half late and expect me to jump up prepared. I've been starving back in here waiting to eat because you very well know that I can't eat until EVERYONE else has eaten, and you.. you.."

Demyx had just now noticed Sora shrinking with everyone word he was flinging at Axel.

"Uh.. Uh.."

Axel allowed a somewhat restrained and knowing smile peel across his face.

Sora looked somewhat devastated to think he had caused Demyx all of this trouble. His adorable face drew up into a sad little pout.

"OH OH! Um, nonono.. Sora.. it's not you're fault! Please, don't freak out man."

Sora's face snapped back to a blank appeasement.

"It's just uh.. haha! Didn't sleep well last night.. wrong side of the bed and all that." He chuckled nervously, and intermittently threw murderous looks at Axel.

Demyx burst out of the kitchen with their breakfast, and his own. He would have made a superb waiter.

"Thanks a bunch, Demyx. This looks pretty good. How refreshing."

Demyx's hand twitched. "You sound surprised." Steam seemed to pour out of Demyx's ears. Since Zexion had died, Demyx had developed something of an affinity for cooking. He had sort of been unofficially apprenticed by Zexion in the art of cookery. People always suspected a lot from all of the extra hours they spent in the kitchen, but they were false speculations. The two had a sort of artistic relationship. Their minds played off of each others' comfortably. Art was their sex. Elegance in creation was their foreplay. The members probably would have had a hard time believing that since they didn't give Demyx a lot of credit for brain power, and they think of Demyx as an artistic type. He was certainly somewhat philosophical, and that usually leads to other arts, but he seemed much more like a dry intellectual. That was before they assigned him to kitchen duty. In reality, the unorthodox relationship between the two was not at all impractical. Still, the other organization members just figure they were spending all of that time boning each other. Naturally, Xalden disapproved.

Sora savored his breakfast. It was so colorful, creamy, savory, sweet.. what a meal! He ate cleanly, but enthusiastically.

Axel watched Sora eagerly. If they had their first sex it should be here. Wait, what? Axel's head snapped to attention. If they what? Axel struggled within himself.

As though you're not already planning it.

That's not fair. Look at him.

Yeah, exactly. Look at him. That's why it's not as though you're already planning it.

Shut shut shut upupup. I just need to keep calm. I can do a casual relationship.

I think I would know, and I'm going to have to say that in this case, you can't.

AND JUST WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ME?!

...everything. I'm you.

YOU KNOW NOTHING.

I know that we're out of practice talking like this so I'll reintroduce myself. Hello Painful Modesty, my name is Sensual Desire and if you remember our history together, I always win.

"Hey Axel!"

The argument in Axel's head disbanded. "Uh, yeah?"

"You haven't touched your food. It's really good."

Demyx who had been quietly glaring at Axel turned to smile at Sora.

"I do have a tendency to make things that are really good."

Axel stared wide-eyed at his food. "Oh yeah! Ahahaha." His nervous and somewhat hysterical laugh caught Sora off-guard. Sora thought Axel seemed very distracted this

morning. Sora's confusion was not abated when Axel piled the entire plate into his mouth.

Demyx stared in exasperation. "If you really feel like you have to eat everything all at once.. don't do it in front of other people."

Axel nodded vigerously as food gently dribbled out of his stuffed mouth.

After breakfast, Demyx took Axel aside in the kitchen while Sora had volunteered to gather up the dishes. "So what's his mission."

"We're going to Villains Vale."

"Oh.."

"Shouldn't be too hard."

"No, but I wonder if Sora will do it."

"We're not going to tell him exactly what he's doing."

"Of course."

"Sort of ironic, don't you think. Having him play a part in reviving MalFFNN-NNTT!" As Demyx finished his sentence Axel clamped a hand over his face. He gave him a

warning stare. Don't blow it.

A wave of protectiveness oscillated within him. He would not let anything take Sora from him, not even Demyx's incompetence. "We do not mention details like that."

"But he can't remember anything."

"Don't chance that."

Demyx's eyes widened. "Does Xemnas think he's remembering?"

Axel stood stiffly. "No, hah! No.. I don't know what that was about.."

"Hey.. uh.. it's fine. You guys need to go though. It's 9:30"

"Exactly 9:30? Well yeah, look it is. Shit, we do need to get going."

"Yes. 9:30. Go."

Axel swept back into the dining hall. "Ready Sora? We've got to get going."

"Absolutely." He saluted Axel.

Axel's inner monologue became violent giggles, but it didn't show on his face.

Axel gently took Sora by the arm, and led him through a corridor of darkness. Sora passed through unflinching. He wanted desperately to impress his hot mentor.

Namine watched the crystal vacantly. She had been waiting for something to happen for hours. It was as though she were staring into the night sky and waiting for fireworks. She waited intensely. The night sky remained black.

Riku appeared over her shoulder. "Don't they say that watched pots never boil. Not that I would really know."

Namine peeked over her shoulder. "Oh, hello Riku," she said cheerfully. "Are you hanging around to wait for them to wake up. It will definitely happen today." This was the first time she had seen Riku just sitting their in the mansion. He always seemed so busy.

Riku nodded nonchalantly ruffling the hair beneath his hood. His face was not at all visible. "Looking the way I do now, I'll probably scare the crap out of them."

"Just don't scare them to death or this will have been a lot of wasted effort." Namine smiled, which was a rare thing lately.

"You're eager for him to forgive you.. aren't you." It wasn't a question.

Namine was still and quiet. "Yes."

"I know Sora. He's probably the most forgiving guy in existence.. You picked the right guy to want forgiveness from."

"Though whether you deserve it remains in question." DiZ had just joined them.

He had a funny way of sometimes exploding Namine's self-esteem.

"I have an somewhat straight-forward, but more difficult route prepared for them. I've unlocked a space path to the Organization's World That Never Was. A name befitting people who really aren't. It will be a longer, but much safer path." DiZ had scrapped his idea of using the corridors of darkness. He didn't want to pollute their hearts on a crucial mission like finding the keyblade master.

Namine squirmed. DiZ always sneered at the idea of nobodies. She always felt that he was being rather unfair to her. She wasn't evil after all.. although she had certainly done some questionable things. Namine often struggled with this.

"Do you think _they_ plan on rejoining Roxas with Sora?" Riku directed his question, surprisingly, at Namine.

"Um.. I suppose they have as much to gain from it as we do." Namine was nervous that Riku had asked her opinion and not DiZ's, and she worried that DiZ might be a jealous scholar.

DiZ had a strange gleam in his eye. It was time to reveal the plans he had made by himself. "I'm bringing Roxas here. It seems our greatest weapon would be a Roxas seeded with the truth. That way, if they send a completely brainwashed Sora to us, Roxas could help us undo it. He could be the most powerful weapon we have against the polluted mind of our greatest hero."

Riku and Namine both looked completely surprised at this revelation. "How will you do it?"

"Right now, he's already being filled in, and I'm crashing Twilight Town down around his ears."

This all seemed rather rash of DiZ, and DiZ only made quick decisions when completely necessary. It was surprising to say the least, but it felt like positive progress.

"Namine. I want him to meet you first. As I would have expected, he doesn't like dealing with me much." DiZ laughed.

"Riku, perhaps you should go as well. You two are Roxas' greatest ties to his true self. You're friendships could do him a lot of good."

"Because I'm the other half of Kairi?"

DiZ paused. He was annoyed at the tone of Namine's accusing voice, but he replied cooly, "Yes. Because you're her other half."

"How's he taking this."

"Not so well."

In the corridor, Sora's lust was inflamed by the darkness. He tackled Axel into the side. "Um.. Sora! People usually don't just stop in the corridors." Sora traced Axel's jawline with his tongue. He kissed softly along his high cheekbones. He pulled at the corner of Axel's lips. He was being so uncharacteristically predatory. Axel's blood heated, and he panicked.

Axel suddenly hoisted Sora up in the air. "L-lets.. uh g-g-get you out of here." Holding Sora up like a large doll, Axel sprinted out of the corridor and to..

Hollow Bastion.

Axel's mind remained in the corridor. Maybe that's where they should have their first sex!

No, stop thinking about that.

But you know it was hotttt.

I will smother you with chastity.

NooooOOooOoOo. Not possible!

"Wow.. this place is bizarre." And impossibly familiar. Sora surveyed it feeling strange.

"Yes, now just stick close and we should be fine."

Several glints of red spiraled towards them. Divine Rose appeared in Sora's hands. Sora hardly glanced at it. He knew instinctively that it was a more powerful keyblade.

Axel despaired. The first heartless to come at them were FIRE RESISTANT. He was going to look useless in front of Sora. He recovered quickly "Okay Sora, I think you know what to do. I'll step in if you need help."

Sora nodded. Axel watched as he manoeuvred through the air flawlessly. All of his natural abilities had come back instantly. The six Red Nocturnes all parted with their

stolen hearts. Axel was very pleased to see this. "See Sora, you've released the stolen hearts back to Kingdom hearts."

"Kingdom Hearts?!" Sora gave Axel a look of relief.

Axel wasn't sure what he had just done.

"You mean.. it exists. I'm not crazy. A voice keeps telling me about kingdom hearst. About the heart-shaped moon."

Axel winced. Would telling Sora about Kingdom Hearts damage this giant charade. "Yes, that's Kingdom Hearts." He left it at that wthout any further explanation, and somehow Sora knew not to ask. Axel turned his attention to the strange appearance of Hollow Bastion.

Hollow Bastion had changed somewhat. The absence of Maleficent was very obvious, and in the distance Sora and Axel could hear people working on some make-shift town.

Axel made his way expertly to Villain's Vale without encountering a single one. "This will be your first excersize in using the keyblade to unlock special locks." Axel pointed to a birdcage with a large keyhole in the front.

Sora excitedly pointed the key at the keyhole, and the magical unlocking was automatic.

"Good Sora." What a simple mission. Is this all he trusted Sora to be able to do. No, surely not. This was an important mission even if it was completely easy.

An evil-eyed crow shuffled out of the darkness of its cage, and ducked out of the dark curtain covering most of the bird cage.

Sora looked alarmed. "Oh crap! I've released someone's pet!" The crow watched Sora carefully. "I've got to put it back in."

"Huh?! Sora don't!" Sora ran all over the place trying to clap his hands around the panicking bird. It shrieked loudly fearing for its life. It swept out into the sky with a harassed cry. It was rocketing towards the vicinity of a powerful wizard with a long and slender black-purple cloak in its beak. Sora had just done something terrible, but he didn't know. Axel watched the raven struggling to fly with a coat whipping in the wind behind it.

"Who the hell are you two, and what are you doing here? This is our home. I hope you don't have anything to do with Maleficent, or you'll die right here." Axel scoffed at the voice without even looking to see where it came from

Sora whipped around to see Leon brandishing his gunblade threateningly.

"Riku, look!" Namine's face lit up.

The crystalline flower pods began to unfold.

"They're finally done! They should be waking up now!"

* * *

**Next time: **I'll be sending Goofy and Donald on a Sora hunt. :) 


	7. Relapse and Memory's Phantom

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Relapse and Memory's Phantom**

* * *

**Disclaimer**: just roll all of my previous disclaimers into one, and you pretty much have the one for this chapter. Convenient.

**Author's Notes**: FEELING THE STING OF REVIEWER NEGLECT. Well.. since none of you care (I am talking to someone, aren't I? sob) let's just discuss this chapter vaguely. The mission happens. This chapter encompasses an entire day. Donald and Goofy wake up, oh my! BUT REALLY, MORE REVIEWS OR I'M NOT WRITING THIS ANYMORE. C'MON YOU LOVELY PEOPLE, SPEAK TO ME!

**Addressing Reviewers**:

PirateCaptainBo: Thanks! Your enthusiasm is inspiring.. or.. it was five chapters ago. C'mon, did the story lose your interest or something? Speak to me!

Riku-Stalker: Wow! Gee.. um.. thank you very much. Wow. Um. Wow. Thank you! I appreciate your reviews a lot! (they're really nice). Yeah, Demyx doesn't seem like too much of a villain. As far as the chemical thing goes.. the mystery you've addressed is actually the whole point! Yay perceptive reviewer!

YinYangWhiteTiger: Thanks a bunch for your faithfulness. I don't think I'll be killing off Donald or Goofy. So, no worries! Glad you like the pairing.

* * *

"Maleficent?" Sora breathed the words in intense curiosity. His face radiated heart wrenching innocence.

Leon felt a peculiar sensation of familiarity. It did not ease.

"What are ya gonna do?" Axel spun around in a show of arrogance. "What possibilities, am I right? Will you shoot us

or will you stab us to death?" The chakram spun at his sides. Carelessly he allowed small flares to fire at Squall Leonheart. The embers danced harmlessly around his feet.

Leon remained in a brutally still stance. "I'll impale you."

"Would you?" Sora and Axel had said it simultaneously, but the inflections in their voices were paradoxical. Axel's words dripped  
out haphazardly and condescendingly. Sora's voice hissed out with shock and hurt.

Leon was disarmed by Sora's voice. "Why.. why did you say it that way."

Axel's eyes narrowed.

"I.. but.. Leon. Why would you do that to me?"

"S-Sora?"

Axel's stomach lurched. He felt dangerously sick.

"Yeah?"

"Sora.. who are you?" Leon rubbed his forehead. A chakram bounced off of his loosely gripped gunblade as a warning. The fire singed  
his fingers. Axel looked furious. "Sora, we need to go." Leon regained his threatened stance. He was perfectly willing to kill this man, buthe was still so confused.

"No! Why do we know each other's names?" It did not sound accusatory, but it was more inquisitive of Sora than Axel would have liked. "I wouldn't know, and apparently he doesn't know either." Leon had to grudgingly agree. He could not explain it.

"Is he one of the things I forgot, Axel?"

"No. He has nothing to do with you."

"How do we know each other's names?!" Leon and Sora seemed impervious to Axel's desperation.

"Sora we need to go! We're expected back now!"

"But why. I.. the door to light. Does he have something to do with the door to light?" Sora was entranced. Sora seemed to be asking  
Leon all of these questions through Axel, which was the most unintentionally cruel thing he could have done. Axel would rather be doing  
just about anything than this.

"Sora, I don't know what you're talking about." Axel was in panic.

"Neither do I." Leon looked skeptical about all of this.

The feeling from Axel's dream was rising in his chest. His heart was breaking. What heart? Where was it? How could it feel so needy?The phantom heart bloomed inside of him like a venom. Axel was then summoned. At the most critical moment, the pull of darkness drew him back to the organization without Sora. He had to suddenly swallow all of his pain in preparation for seeing the superior, but still panicked screams rang out through his brain. His treasure was lost. It was lost. It was lost.

Xemnas' voice seeped out of the new reality. "DiZ has Roxas, and he is going to try to use him against us. Inadvisable, but still something we should prepare Sora for."

His calloused gaze swept gently over Axel. "Where is Sora?"

Mentioning Roxas made controlling himself much more difficult. "Back at Hollow Bastion," he cried out in desperation.

Xemnas' eyes narrowed."You should have been on time, and then I wouldn't have summoned you."

"I'm sorry. We ran into a little trouble."

"Oh?"

"Some resident of the new Hollow Bastion. He stopped us, and.. I should really go back and make sure nothing is going wrong. He must be scared."

Xemnas raised an eyebrow. "You may go, but you must start preparing Sora for Roxas as soon as possible."

Axel nodded, and quietly passed back into the corridor. Once he was away from Xemnas he released his seething soul. His crying echoed maddeningly in the darkness. "DAMN YOU ROXAS. I HATE YOU!" He was torn between wanted to sprint back into Hollow Bastion, and waiting in the gentle darkness venting his fury. He was too proud to be so sad in front of anyone else. The sound of his anguish might have destroyed him. It sounded like something tender dying.

Leon had acted on irrational instinct. He grabbed Sora's hand, and ran back to the others. He came panting up to Aerith. "What is her name?"

Aerith looked confused. "Leon, what are you doing? Who's this."

"Ae.."

Leon's eyes widened. This was maddening. What was going on? "Say it Sora! Say it!"

"Sora?" Aerith's eyebrows furrowed.

"It's Aerith, isn't it?"

Leon was stunned.

Aerith smiled warmly. "Oh, why yes it is. Have we met?"

"I don't think so," came Leon's voice. "I'm fairly certain I've never met him either.. but we knew eachother's names. It's too bizarre."

Yuffie appeared out of nowhere. "I thought I knew a Sora once," she chirped. "Oh.. well.. it must have been a different one. I've never seen _him_ before." Yuffie surveyed Sora calmly. "Never."

Leon was deflating. "Look.. we need to hide him until I've sorted this out."

"Hide me?" Sora looked like he was about to disagree.

"Wouldn't you like to find out why we seem to all know you're name, and vice versa? I don't think you're friend is going to let you figure it out. You're safer hiding here with us. C'mon.. I think you'll be okay here." He ran off through the districts towards Merlin's house with a vice-like grip on Sora's hand. Sora was not struggling. "Wait for me Leon!" Yuffie sprinted after them. Aerith stood rooted to the spot. Her seemingly vacant mind buzzed with wisdom. "I think we must know him. Something paranormal is affecting us all." She rubbed her chin straining for the answer to this all.

A furious Axel appeared storming towards the inner districts. "You there, stop! Why are you here? Um.. state your business." A whirlwind of flame tossed

Aerith around like a doll. She fell overburdened with the weight of life compromised. She didn't have the strength to move. Axel pounced on here. One of his chakram tickled her throat. "Where is Sora?"

Aerith didn't want to die. "He's been taken to Merlin's house. I.. I.." she struggled to point. Axel leapt from her side and disappeared into a corridor. Aerith wanted to run and warn the others, but her body forced her to lay there broken.

Sora looked cautiously around his shoulder as he followed Leon's quick steps. He was worried being seperated from Axel and regretted letting these strangers take him deeper into Hollow Bastion. "This is Merlin's house. Merlin is a legendary wizard who may have some answers for you." Leon ushered him inside. Yuffie closed the door behind the three of them. "Ah hello Leon, Yuffie, and.. who is this?"

Axel appeared yards away from Merlin's front door, but he wasn't sure which house belonged to the wizard.

"I'm afraid I just don't have anything to tell you. Strange as it may be, I do not beleive we've ever met, although you do have an mystical air about you. It seems almost as though you once knew magic." Merlin gave Sora a sympathetic smile.

"Well.. I've forgotten a lot. So all of this I guess doesn't mean anything." Sora looked disappointed. He was so eager to.. remember? Why did he feel like there was so much more to his story. Obviously he wasn't much older than when Destiny Island had been swept away. Maybe he hadn't forgotten very much after all.

As Sora drew this conclusion, Axel burst through the front door. "Sora!" Axel looked scared. "We really need to go." Leon wanted very badly to protest, and to detain them both, but before he could act on this impulse Axel and Sora were already fading away into some bizarre dark tunnel. "STOP!" No side could see the other, and they were efficiently separated.

Cid burst onto the scene with Aerith bouncing in his arms. "Don't worry! She's definitely alive, but she needs help."

Axel's grip on Sora was possesive and shaky. Sora nuzzled against Axel's chin. "Sorry Axel.. I thought they could tell me something about what I've forgotten.. but there wasn't anything there. They were just a bunch of strangers.." Axel choked back brittle sobs. It was day two and everything had been nearly ruined. They weren't building fast enough. Outside forces were already building to take Sora away. They were building to take Sora back to the ugliness of truth. He hated truth. This lie was beautiful, and no reality or absolute truth could suffice. He would not let Sora go so easily. At least.. who was he kidding? Making that sort of a resolve when he just let Sora go very easily. He was almost angry with Xemnas for doing this. Everything could have been ruined. Had Xemnas lost his mind. They remained in the darkness much longer then they would have normally. Sora buried himself in the heaviness and warmth of Axel. His face scraped up Axel's sharp jawline to kiss his ear. Sora's throat pressed into Axel's cheek, and Axel's hands relaxed around Sora's back. "I didn't mean to run away or anything. I was almost afraid I wouldn't be able to get back to you." Sora's hot breath made Axel's ears burn.

"I didn't mean to leave you their either." It came out sounding desperate. His stomach flipped. Now that they had returned to him.. he was so governed by feeling it was almost horrible. But he clung to those feelings. The noxious frost that had gripped his chest thawed. He could have sworn that the breath that stretched past his lips was cold as though he were expelling some internal winter.

Sora rubbed his torso mindlessly against Axel's. "You're so warm." He relished the friction. He wished that the thin barriers of fabric were missing.

Axel was still a little too stunned to reciprocate most of this, but he allowed Sora to do whatever he wanted, and Sora seemed contented to handle all of the interaction.

Axel felt like he had loved Sora for a long time. This wasn't so strange as Sora was nearly the same person as Roxas. Axel hardly noticed that Sora was on his knees. Sora had worked up Axel's undershirt and dipped his tounge into Axel's navel. It was on a list of things Sora had wanted to do since he had seen Axel in the shower, and

this seemed one of the safer ideas. Axel's torso spasmed for a moment, but relaxed. Sora nipped at the walls around the navel. Axel giggled in a nervous voice. Sora then impulsively rubbed his cheek against Axel's abdominal muscles. He pressed his face into them as hard as he could. He nearly winded Axel who found half of his fingers wound tightly in Sora's hair, and the other half smoothing the skin on Sora's left shoulder. He absent-mindedly stretched the collar of Sora's shirt. Sora slid up to Axel's pectorals, and his mouth reached for Axel's left nipple. Axel's shirt slid down over Sora's head. He found this ridiculously cute.

The hurricane of toxic emotions from before subsided so swiftly. Sora was an antidote for them all. Sora sucked on the hardened nipple, and his hands slid down the waist of Axel's jeans. His hands smoothed around Axel's cheeks and squeezed. Axel was a little taken aback, and his erection slid down his thigh as it grew. Sora was trying to seduce him, and he was doing it expertly. "Sora, no.. c'mon. Not yet." He relectantly grabbed Sora's wrists and pulled Sora's hands out from.. a very comfortable spot.

"Axel." The way his own name came off of another man's lips made his phantom heart flutter. Was it a man's lips? A boy's? Was he himself just a boy?

Axel waited for Sora to follow with something. He had the appearance of wanting to say something.

"I want something from you really bad.. but I don't know what it is. I just want." Sora was wanting. He was _affected by Axel_. But Axel was a nobody. He was nothing. Axel had never felt so powerful before.

"I want something from you too, but we both are going to have to wait a while." He said this with a slight reluctance.

"Okay Axel. I trust you." He trusted Axel. Beautiful. The rest of the day, with Sora's first mission out of the way, went flawlessly.

"RIKU," quacked Donald. "Riku, where's the king! We thought you were with him when we closed the door!" It had taken DiZ, Namine, and Riku half an hour to convince Donald and Goofy that Sora was missing and that Riku was not Ansem.

"Gawrsh.. we've lost the King _and _Sora." Goofy frowned.

"Now that you know our situation, I just wanted to say that it's wonderful meeting you both." Namine heartily shook both of their hands.

"Well.. I figure that if Sora's our friend, and Kairi is Sora's friend, and Sora's friends are our friends, and you're Kairi's sister, and Kairi's close relatives are our friends.. that.. um." Goofy paused in confusion.

"THAT NAMINE IS OUR FRIEND," Donald shouted impatiently.

"Uh.. Right!" Goofy chuckled.

DiZ had made Namine convince them that Kairi was her sister. It would be a sufficient story for the time being. He didn't want to overload them with information too soon.

"Donald.. Goofy.. would you be willing to bring Sora back to my Manor? We need him to destroy Organization Thirteen."

Donald nodded excitedly, and Goofy saluted DiZ. "Of course. If you really are an old friend of the king, then you must be on the side of light!" Donald was satisfied with his own logic.

"Besides, if you're Namine's friend then we can definitely trust you. The only thing Jiminy found in his journal was a short entry to thank Namine. Oh, by the way.. Thanks Namine! A'hyuck." Goofy shook her hand once more. "Now lets see. Donald, what did we do with the gummi ship."

DiZ spoke up. "I have your gummi ship waiting at Yen Sid's castle. He's a powerful and wise wizard. I have arranged for you to arrive there by train, but you'll need to be quick to make it there on time. I've left further instructions with Yen Sid. I've left your planned route to the organization's headquarters with him as well. He will be a friend to you."

Goofy and Donald nodded aggreably, and then sprinted out of the manor towards the train station. The train station had been the only thing DiZ hadn't ruined in his efforts to drive Roxas towards the manor. He wouldn't be surprised if Roxas were hiding there out of fear and confusion. DiZ hadn't been very straightforward in retrieving Roxas, and for some reason he hadn't made Riku bring him here either. He wanted it to be Roxas' choice to come here.. even if all of the other choices were eliminated. He wouldn't be surprised if Goofy and Donald ran into Roxas.

"Oh, DiZ.. did you tell them how to get to the train station?" Namine watched them run off with concern.

"They hardly gave me the chance, but they shouldn't need directions. The train station is about all their is left of this Twilight Town. I'm just surprised they never asked us about the memory pods. I hope we haven't overburdened them with all of this knowledge."

"Knowledge isn't a burden. Ignorance is a burden." Riku hadn't said anything until now.

"Oh? I thought ignorance was bliss."

"The longer you wait in ignorance, the more of your memories are tarnished by knowledge. Epiphany ruins everything that comes before it. It is always best to cast off ignorance as quickly as possible."

"Ah, but what if you remain in ignorance forever. You are never burdened by knowledge and your entire life is romance."

"No one remains ignorant." Least of all Sora.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: End day two, amirite? 


	8. Dans La Mer Du Japon

* * *

**Chapter Eight: Dans La Mer Du Japon**

* * *

**Author's notes: **Seven was a lucky chapter. It seems to have gotten more attention than any other chapter. Well.. good! This one's the longest I've written so far, and I don't plan on the chapters getting shorter or even remaining this length (although I might reach a sort of limit) I will address new reviews next chapter (but indicate my thanks for them now). Thank you for reading. 

**Disclaimer: **do I need this anymore? Refer to earlier disclaimers..

* * *

Sora's fatigued body was only vaguely aware of the morning hours. He had been stranded in strange and uncomfortable dreams. Riku had Kairi, and he married her by driving the keyblade through her heart. Sora was just a spectator, and could not interfere. Axel caught Sora's cheek, and turned his face away. Axel pressed Sora's lips against his and would not let him see what was going on. He wanted very badly to throw Axel off of him, and to run and help Kairi. Why couldn't he move? "You don't want to see this," Axel would breathe into his mouth. Sora felt as if Axel's words were an enchantment. Each time he said them he felt less and less concerned. No, that wasn't true. He felt like his concern was growing, but that it was being banished to some distant recess in his brain. It was all being locked away in an inconspicuous chamber, and the electric pulse that connected him to this part of himself was feeble and erratic. "You don't want to see this, say it." Sora was breathing in Axel's words like honey. He was a bee, or maybe a hummingbird sucking nectar from Axel's lips. Sora was split in half. He could see his own eyes glaze over. 

"I don't want to see that."

"No, you don't."

"No, I don't."

But the real Sora, whose voice was unfairly stolen, did want to see very badly. His defiant rage began to cause a fissure in his very being. He was being expelled; driven out of his own body. He panicked in exile. He was one half of a person. How could anyone be one half of a person?

As Sora's mind was relieved of the nightmare, it began to speak in different tongues. It was manipulated and mutated until it had no connection to him. Reality brimmed in the vacated whole of his uncontrolled imagination. He shook off the dream. Dreams are just dreams. The knowledge they provide is negligible.

Sora felt alleviated when hazy memories of last night nudged back into the forefront of his consciousness. Stale wine softened his tongue. He had been somewhat drunk.. and.. Axel had been even more than him. He remembered Axel crawling clumsily into Sora's bed in his bright red boxers. His hands depressed the bed on either side of Sora's head. The dramatic shadows in the room gave it a lustful appearance, and Sora's flawless skin was smoothed even more so by the liquid darkness that oiled his face. The same applied to Axel. He was so corporeal. His knees pushed down the cushion of the bed around Sora's thighs and pressed into his waist. He was so heavy and feral looking. Sora wanted Axel to crush him into delirium. The cocoon of heat and evaporation of sweat enveloped Sora. Axel was baking him like the sun. Sora's foreign eyes begged to be made a victim. _Victimize me, Axel._

Axel struck Sora's mouth with wet and drunken kisses. He sucked shamelessly on Sora's bottom lip, and his tongue writhed in Sora's mouth. He giggled into the kiss. "I hate you Roxas. J'en perds la raison." His alcohol sweetened voice made Sora's skin tingle. The sensuous giggles teased at his anticipation. He wondered how far Axel would go when he couldn't control himself. Sora certainly would not stop him. He didn't even mind the strange nickname Axel had given him at all, in fact, he felt like a bit of a Roxas. "I can't believe you. Don't leave like that again, Roxasss.." The thickness of his voice was exciting.

Curiously enough, Roxas had the same exact eyes as Sora. No, Sora had the same exact eyes as Roxas. Except, why did it seem like Roxas' eyes were an ocean turned steely by the sunset and storm. Right now, Roxas' eyes were a quenching blue colored by the atmosphere. This was because they weren't Roxas' eyes at all.

The wheels in Axel's mind turned viciously. His face slid past Sora's and his laughter was muffled in the pillows. "I'm such a fucking idiot." His laughter gently shifted from manic to tired. "Good night, Sora." Sora's buzz crashed, and he sighed disappointedly. Still, he fell asleep with a gorgeous man on top of him, and that seemed to be okay.

The close past linked seamlessly to the present as a quiet Axel nudged open Sora's bedroom door. "Oh, hey.. Good morning." Axel held his head gingerly. It was strange seeing so many Axels juxtaposed in his mind. He had to brush away the other two and focus on the one in front of him now. That is a lot of Axel's to manage. "I must admit, I didn't expect you to be awake. You weren't yesterday and I woke you up later than I am this morning. C'mon, we can have breakfast with some of the others."

Sora nodded. He was so good-natured.He was so endearing.

Axel ducked out of Sora's room, and Sora quickly got dressed. More and more clothes in his size had been filling his closet. He must been up to at least four similar black outfits. He still had the clothes he woke up in, but they were a little small. Maybe they had shrunken somehow. Everything was still something of a mystery. He couldn't wait for the fog of amnesia to clear. Sora stopped. Why hadn't he been worrying more about his head? Sora was normally very conscious of his health. _You haven't had time to worry, give yourself a break. _

Sora ran to catch up with Axel on his way to the dining room. The smell of fresh creams and butter hung on the air. He could hear a gruff voice complaining.

"Demyx, this is all _very_ French."

"Plus ou moines."

"Could you _be _more French?"

"Shut up and eat the food. It's delicious. I know because I made it."

It was Xigbar. He scoffed at this explanation. "Whatever." His eyes roved all over the dining room. "Oh. Good morning Sora. Axel." He smiled genuinely. Sora, happy to be accepted, smiled too.

Xigbar's plate was cleaned off, and he appeared to have no reason to stay other than to be polite. "How have you been feeling Sora? Are you starting to get the hang of things again?" Sora answered politely that, "well.. yeah.. I'm doing great." Xigbar nodded knowingly. "So, memories resurfacing?" Sora frowned at the question. "Well.. not very well." "Give it time. Well boys.. uh.. now that I can feel my arteries again.. I had better get going."

A distance voice from the kitchen shouted jokingly, "Fuck you!"

Demyx expertly balanced three breakfast plates all the way to where he joined Axel and Sora. "Well, you guys are late, but much closer to being on time then yesterday morning." The three cleaned their plates in no time at all.

"So, what are you two doing today?" Demyx had given the question a passive inflection, but beneath it he was curious to know how long Axel would be allowed to keep Axel from the other organization members. The natural answer was of course: as long as Xemnas saw fit to do so.

"Well, actually, I need to talk to Xemnas in private to see what Sora's next mission is. Do you think he could hang around with you while I'm taking care of that?"

"Why not? I'm sure I could find some mundane thing like washing dishes for him to do." Sora gave a timid smile, and Demyx followed him into the kitchen with Axel's dishes. As the door swung closed he could hear Demyx pointing Roxas over to the sink.

Axel stepped through a corridor which delivered him to Xemnas' office. "So, it seems that maleficent has been released. She's already been filling worlds with heartless. I suppose you've come to ask what else I have planned for Sora. The truth is, I'm not so sure. His usefulness lies in using his keyblade to destroy as many heartless as we need, so we'll have to stage a heartless attack on some unfortunate peoples that Sora can sympathize with. We'll let him destroy as many as he can and emphasize the importance of killing every heartless he sees. We will construct it carefully so as not to endanger him, or let him off too easily. Somehow we'll have to convince him that this will help him find his two friends as well. I've already included Demyx in this portion of the plans. He'll be visiting Riku and taking a few pictures for us to show Sora." Axel nodded meaningfully. "I'll prep him for the mission."

"It will be in Hollow Bastion."

"Why Hollow Bastion?!"

Xemnas took on an appearance of amused surprise. "_Now,_ you question my judgment? I want to see just how much he remembers those people. I want to see if this will really work, or if we should make plans to cut off Sora from the organization at some point. We don't want a loose cannon in our halls. If his affection towards you is stronger than the desire to remember them, then it is safe to keep him here."

Axel felt sick, but nodded.

"Well excellent. Take him back to Hollow Bastion. Test his strength, his endurance, and his curiosity."

Axel's stomach lurched, but his steely expression allowed him to disguise his panic as he slipped back into the corridor, and back into the dining hall.

He heard Demyx's muffled voice shouting, "Oh shit, bend over Sora. Yeah, good, bend over the sink."

"Auuuugh! Demyx! Are you about to-"

"Yeah almost!"

Axel bolted into the kitchen and knocked Demyx to the ground. "WHAT WHAT?! WHAT HAVE I DONE WRONG?!" Axel's brain only faintly registered that

Demyx and Sora were on two opposite ends of the kitchen. "Axel, I got all wet!" Sora held out the front of his shirt to show that it had been soaked and a small puddle layed at his feet.

"YOU ARE A QUITE THE POSSESSIVE BOYFRIEND, huh?" Axel, embarrassed, helped Demyx back up. Sora blushed at the word _boyfriend_. "He was washing a plate, and he heard me drop something so when he turned around he neglected to pull the plate out from under the water and a cascade of dishwater went everywhere." Demyx had a mop in hand, and was apparently about to remedy the problem.

"Well.. sorrysorrysorry. Um, I don't mean to steal your help, but Sora has been assigned another mission."

"Oh yeah?" Demyx feigned surprise. "Well, go ahead then. I wouldn't want to get in the way of Xemnas' orders.

Axel led Sora out of the kitchen. "Today, we're going to strain your fighting abilities in Hollow Bastion. We want to see if you can handle cleaning out an entire world of heartless." Sora's eyes widened. "No, don't worry! We'll be helping you, but we think you have a certain potential to be able to do it." Axel absolutely under no circumstances wanted to take Sora back to Hollow Bastion. He wondered in futility for a moment if he could sneak back to Hollow Bastion before-hand and kill everyone still living their, and _then_ take Sora back in safety, but he knew that would not please Xemnas. Still, he would not let them take Sora away. He would not give Xemnas a reason to remove Sora either. They stepped into corridor, and Axel made the trip purposefully short.

"Roxas, c'mon. If you don't go to the mansion we'll fade into nothing." It was Hayner this time. He was practically begging. "Something is wrong. You can't _be _Hayner. Hayner wouldn't care about the old mansion. Who are you?"

"Roxas, go to the mansion. Look at me! I'm disappearing." Hayner was shaking him with each syllable. His hands rocked Roxas back and forth. Roxas dared to look. Hayner was translucent and he could see the red light of twilight town bending through him. "You're really going to let me die?! To let your friends die?!"

"WHY WOULD GOING TO THE MANSION STOP THIS?! WHAT AREN'T YOU TELLING ME?!" There was a narrow path that hadn't been erased that led into the hole in the wall in the Trams Common. This hole led to a forest that was much more apparent now that everything else had been erased. Hayner's body wavered in light, and he crumpled to the ground.

"I'm sorry! Please don't die!" Roxas lifted Hayner into his arms. He was limp and scarcely breathing. DiZ appeared on the steps to the train station. "You must go, or he'll die Roxas. I'm surprised you waited this long. I didn't think you were such a cruel person."

"I'M A CRUEL PERSON," he shouted incredulously. "AM I THE ONE DESTROYING TWILIGHT TOWN?! _I'M CRUEL?!" _

"Roxas, you must run to the my manor. They are coming for you." Roxas leaped up off the ground as DiZ's digitalized form vanished. He couldn't take this anymore. He dashed down the only path that led from the train station. In a manner of minutes Roxas encountered Donald and Goofy running in the opposite direction. "Hey, get out of our way! We've got to get to the train station," quacked Donald irritably. There was no room for either party to run passed the other. They would knock each other off into.. into.. oblivion. There was nothing below them. Suddenly, as though the path could feel their collective desperation, it widened just enough for them to slip passed each other.

As Donald ran passed the now traffic freed path, Goofy stopped him. "Hey, d'ya think maybe that was Roxas?"

Roxas stopped at the mentioning of his name. "Yeah, I'm Roxas."

"Oh, you'd better hurry! DiZ is waitin' for yeah. He's gonna tell you the truth about everything." Goofy nodded excitedly. "C'mon Goofy! We don't have time. We'll miss the train to Yen Sid's castle." Goofy waved as Donald dragged him away towards the train station. Roxas watched them go in complete confusion. "The truth about everything?" And since when was there a train that ran to a castle? He had no time to question anything as dusks danced whimsically after him. He ran blindly into the forest and toward the gleaming pinnacle of DiZ's manor. Namine met him at the edge of the forest. "Hello Roxas. My name is Namine, and I've wanted to meet you for a long time." She ran along side him.

"Who are you? How do you know me?"

"I'll tell you when we get there." She pointed to the old mansion. The path had been deleted behind him, and the forest was dilluted in a blinding fog. The dusks pursued them up to the gates.

The train ride was unrealistically short, and the train seemed to glide through space. "Look Donald! A'hyuck. We're here aren't we?" The tumbled out of the train, and up towards the castle's front doors. A giant cat in decorative armor was talking to himself in front of them. "We'll have this place wrapped up in no time."

"Pete?!" Goofy gawked at the back of the cat's head.

"What what what? I don't have time for you," he said without bothering to turn around.

"_Pete.. I thought Pete was banished to another dimension._"

"Heh heh. Shows what you know. I've been outta that place for ages. I've got Maleficent helping me take over all of the worlds."

"Maleficent?!" Donald's sharp duck voice was filled with skepticism.

"Maleficent is dead," said Goofy matter-of-factly.

"Shyeah, what?!" Pete decided to turn around. "Pah, not you two!"

"It's true Pete. Her heart was taken by the heartless!"

"What a load! You two just get out of here. I suppose the king sent you two to stop me. Probably too afraid to face me himself."

Both Donald and Goofy shook there heads no. "We were sent here to see Yen Sid."

"Pah, that old hermit. He's probably already been turned into a heartless by now."

"Out of our the, Pete!" Donald brandished his staff threateningly.

"Hah! Out of the way he says." Several shadows seeped out of the ground.

"Thunder!" A bolt of lightning evaporated one of the frog-faced monsters into a gaseous cloud of black.

Goofy spun around with his shield, something he dubbed the "Goofy Tornado", and three shadow heartless dissapeared.

"Fira!" Two more heartless vanished. One more heartless leapt at Donald who had evaded his fire attack, and Donald bashed it on the head with his staff.

It dizzily sank back into the ground. As soon as it popped back up, it was taken care of by Goofy's shield.

"Augh! You two just mind your own business. You really think I'm gonna let you in the castle?!"

Donald raised an eyebrow. "THUNDAGA!" A flurry of lightning exploded Pete out of their way. He vanished in some shrubbery with the clanking of armor.

"Hurry, before he gets back up." Donald and Goofy ran inside. They quickly made their way up the spiral staircase mostly ignoring the growing crowd of heartless they continued to leave behind, and in greater numbers. "Gawrsh, Pete's really gonna try to destroy this castle!" A few soldier heartless twirled up the staircase after them. Donald blindly pointed his staff over his shoulder and shouted, "Thundara!" They came upon a door at the top of the stairs. "This could be it. Gawrsh, I didn't realize how many heartless were chasin' after us." They slipped in the door, and quickly shut it behind them.

"Hey, are you Yen Sid," quacked Donald irritably.

"Conditionally. Are you Donald and Goofy?"

"Yeah!"

"Then I am Yen Sid."

The venerable old man turned to face them. He was previously gazing disdainfully out of the tower window. He looked strangely indomitable, but also very harassed.

"DiZ has sent you here to find your Gummi Ship, is this correct?"

"Yessir!"

The Gummi Ship hovered noiselessly where Yen Sid had been staring.

"Here. This is a star chart to The World That Never Was. I had to pluck it from my extensive library, and add DiZ's calculations to the star chart. So please, in light of our strenuous efforts, do not fail to bring Sora back with you."

"Of course sir Yen Sid." Goofy saluted.

"Waiiiit as second. Who exactly are we rescuing Sora from?"

"Organization Thirteen. They are a group of elite nobodies, that is to say, the heart-hollowed remains of heartless attack victims."

"Uhhh.. soo.." Donald hadn't quite dissected the sentence when Yen Sid saw fit to explain further.

"When a heartless attacks a person, it removes their heart."

Goofy and Donald nodded.

"The heart exposed to darkness is corrupted, and becomes it's own being. A heartless. Now, the body and soul that remain behind after the heart is separated, change into a being as well. These are called nobodies. For every heartless their should theoretically be an equal nobody. When heartless are destroyed, their captive hearts are returned to kingdom hearts. Nobodies seek to take these freed hearts for themselves, and become whole again. As understandable as this may sound, they are not creatures of morality. They will do whatever it takes to get to those hearts, even if they don't belong to them. Taking Sora prisoner is one of your methods, and I dare say you'll agree that it's wrong."

"OF COURSE!"

"Good. This 'Organization Thirteen' are a group of elite nobodies. They are more powerful and intelligent than any other nobodies. They are the ring leaders of this dark circus, and they must be stopped. You'll easily recognize them, as most nobodies are reduced to monsters and lesser forms, while the members of Organization Thirteen have retained their human appearance. Do not be fooled. They are not human in the sense that they cannot feel, and do not care. They are only consumed with a desire to be whole again. This makes them very dangerous beings. You don't remember it, but you've already faced and defeated a few of these organization members."

"Uhhh.. um.. are you sure about that? I don't ever remember-"

Yen Sid's scoffing interrupted Donald's skepticism. "Didn't I just say you may not remember it. Afterall.. the Organization destroyed your natural memories, and even reconstructed a false past for Sora. Those pods you woke up in were reconstructing your true memories. In exchange, you had to give up your recollection of the events in Castle Oblivion."

"Castle Oblivion?!"

"No, no more time for explanations. If you are successful you are to use the star chart in reverse to reach me again. I will reveal much more then. Off you go."

The window swung open, and Yen Sid pointed out of it insistently. He wanted them to jump out and hopefully land in the gummi ship without crashing to the ground far below.

As they climbed into their ship, Merryweather burst into Yen Sid's study. "Horrible news! Terrible!" Her face was ashen and terrified.

Just at the edge of Hollow Bastion, and the dim-lit edge of the corridor, Axel stopped Sora. He spun him around into an affirming kiss. Axel was desperate. He wanted to feel connected to Sora. He wanted to strengthen their connection out of fear. Fear of loss. It was a dizzying kiss that Axel poured his passions and frustrations into. Sora was swelling with joy. His soul ascended, and then dived adventurously. Reality tilted effortlessly, and pleasurably. The dizziness Sora felt caused him to lean into Axel and hold on to him as the concreteness of his surroundings drained away. A divine spotlight wound Sora tightly to him. He was burning up.

Axel felt differently, he felt as though he were chaining Sora to him right before they stupidly swaggered into a hurricane wind.

* * *

**Author's Notes**: This was a conflict building chapter! Yes it was. 


End file.
